Abstract
Contemporary Theology is a basic textbook designed to introduce students to Christian theology as it has evolved over the past two centuries. After an introductory chapter on the philosophical background to nineteenth- and twentieth-century thought, no fewer than 37 further chapters cover a vast array of topics from early dispensationalism and Revivalist theology to contemporary Chinese eschatology and post-liberalism. In between, separate chapters consider key thinkers from Schleiermacher and Kierkegaard to more recent figures such as Moltmann and Yoder. Welcome additions to the range of topics discussed in other textbooks include chapters on Spurgeon, ‘death of God’ and process theologies, as well as open theism, Pentecostalism, Christian realism, African Christology and radical theology, alongside the more familiar presentations on Hegel, Barth and Bultmann. The book is finally rounded off with chapters on theology and the arts, the theological interpretation of Scripture, evolutionary creation and postconservative theology.
MacGregor is certainly to be congratulated on this breadth of coverage. Each chapter provides a systematic framework for understanding the theologian or movement in context before setting out to review the distinctive features of each approach. The style of writing is clear and accessible, and the author obviously has a passion for supporting student learning, not least with the provision of approximately nine and a half hours of videos on DVD.
In a preface, MacGregor is entirely upfront about his objective: the book is intended to help students predominantly from an evangelical background to ‘understand how today’s evangelical, mainline and radical perspectives have achieved their current shape’ (p. 11). This is an ambitious target, and despite the admirable range of topics covered, it is not entirely clear it has been achieved: only two of the chapters are dedicated to Catholic theology and there is surprisingly little on the important work in recent decades on Orthodox thought, not least in relation to the Trinity. As a result, Karl Rahner and Hans Küng are mentioned only in passing, whereas Zizioulas and von Balthasar merit mere asides. The story of contemporary theology is thus constructed around an overwhelmingly evangelical agenda that tends to marginalize important influences found in other strands of Christian thought. Every author has to make choices, of course, and there is much in this book that opens out fresh insights into movements rarely considered elsewhere. But even the chapters on the two Vatican Councils, or more liberal thinkers such as Bultmann and Tillich, seem to spin the story in a distinctively evangelical direction.
The major criticism, however, has to be the relative lack of critical analysis throughout the book. Each chapter is overwhelmingly descriptive, setting out selective features of the topic under review with very little probing or challenge. Much more theological evaluation is needed if students are to engage seriously with critical thinking. This reviewer at least was also doubtful about the added value of the DVDs. These turn out to be mostly headshots of the author speaking to the camera as he reads out an abbreviated version of the book. Occasionally key words are flashed up on the screen, but the opportunity to use more visually engaging material such as diagrams or photographs has been missed. Even so, this book is a useful addition to the range of introductory textbooks available, not least in relation to the fascinating and fresh range of topics discussed.